


Reconstruction

by Kebbi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, BokuAka Week 2020, Childhood Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Jealousy, Light Angst, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Practice Kissing, Roommates, Sharing Clothes, Sharing a Bed, bokuto is a soft baby and i love him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:20:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25629595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kebbi/pseuds/Kebbi
Summary: Koutarou and him weren’t friends. They hadn’t been friends since some time in middle school, naturally drifting apart after getting sorted into different classes and pursuing different hobbies. Their contact had kept decreasing until all that was left was a polite “Hello” and a smile when they stumbled into each other in the halls.So this whole moving-in together thing their moms came up with? Terrible, terrible idea.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 20
Kudos: 199





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Instead of making several short stories for BokuAka Week 2020, I decided to make one big story with several of the prompts :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 1: Childhood friends

As soon as he opened the front door, Keiji heard the animated chatter from the living room. He loved his mom but he wasn’t sure he could handle her excited self right now. Especially not if Koutaro’s mom was there with her. 

He’d had an exhausting day at school and to top it off received two more rejections from flats he’d applied to. Needless to say, Keiji was not in the mood to have tea and chat with the two cheerful women

Hoping, he could evade long conversation, he just stuck his head through the door frame and nodded at them politely, before quickly turning around again to make his way to his room. 

But before he could flee, his mom started patting the space next to her, urging him to sit with them.

“Keiji, come, sit, sit. Akari-san and I were just discussing something.”

He did as he was told, the tiniest bit curious, and completely unprepared for what was to come.

“So,” Akari said. “Your mom and I were talking about flats and all that stuff, and she said you had trouble finding one! So we found a solution.”

“A solution?” Keiji didn’t allow himself to feel relieved yet. Who knew what kind of solution it was. But it was true that he simply couldn’t find an affordable place and he was running out of time before college started.

“Yes!” his mom affirmed, a wide smile on her lips. “Akari-san said they already found a flat for Kou-chan and it’s big enough to house two! So you can stay together!”

“ _What?_ ”

“Isn’t that great? You two have always been such great friends, it’s nice to see you going to the same college and now you are even going to live together!”

“I’ll also feel a bit relieved to know that someone as dependable as Keiji will keep an eye on my son. That boy really tends to get in trouble,” Akari agreed with a fond chuckle.

Keiji just stared at them, dumbfounded. 

Koutarou and him weren’t friends. They hadn’t been friends since some time in middle school, naturally drifting apart after getting sorted into different classes and pursuing different hobbies. Their contact had kept decreasing until all that was left was a polite “Hello” and a smile when they stumbled into each other in the halls. 

When they proceeded to attend different high schools, even those last traces of their friendship disappeared.

And it was fine, Keiji was fine with that. It was never meant to be forever; promises made on playgrounds were nothing more than the words of little kids after all.

Koutarou had said that Keiji was his world, but when they’d started middle school his world had suddenly started to expand and Keiji was nothing but a small shadow within. He couldn’t be blamed for that though, Koutarou was like a star, shining so brightly and beautifully, it was only natural that he would draw in crowds.

Keiji didn’t belong there with him, he wasn’t anything special and so he accepted when they drifted apart, keeping his distance when Koutarou was surrounded by sparkling people like himself. It made his chest ache and his throat feel tight, but he knew it was for the better, he didn’t want to be a millstone around his childhood friend’s neck. Keiji loved him enough to let him go.

So this whole moving-in together thing their moms came up with? Terrible, terrible idea. The last time they had a proper talk felt like an eternity ago, hell, Keiji hadn’t even known that Koutarou would attend the same college. 

He swallowed, gaze wandering between the two women.

“That’s very kind of you, Akari-san,” he started, a polite smile on his face.

“No need to-”

“But I don’t think we can just decide on that. I’m sure he would prefer to live alone.”

Surprise flashed over Akari’s features but it was quickly replaced with a laugh. 

“Well, we can just ask him then.”

Before Keiji could say anything, he heard the unlocked front door opening and bold steps coming their direction. He couldn’t help his heart from squeezing at the sight of Koutarou’s happy face as he walked in. 

“I brought cake!” he announced cheerfully and put the cake on the table before sitting down next to his mom.

“Perfect timing,” she said. “We were just talking about how Keiji hasn’t found a flat yet.”

Big honey eyes glanced over to him and Keiji didn’t want to feel like melting.

“And since the two of you got accepted to the same college, we thought he could take the spare room in your flat.”

For a brief second, Koutarou seemed shocked and it was inexplicably painful. Keiji didn’t want him to say yes, yet he didn’t want him to say no either.

That worry turned out to be completely unnecessary though, because a bright smile appeared on Koutarou’s face as he nodded.

“Of course he can stay with me!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2: mutual pining/obliviousness | roommates/moving in | college au

Keiji dreaded the day of his move, an uncomfortable feeling lurking in his stomach as the date drew closer and closer. 

He hadn’t been able to convince his mom that he’d stay somewhere else, and he wasn’t even sure if he’d managed to convince himself, not with the impossible task of finding an affordable place and especially not after seeing the flat Koutarou had landed. 

The two rooms were about the same size, both on the smaller side, but they had a modern kitchen and a spacious living room with a small balcony. If he overlooked his roommate being his estranged childhood friend/longtime crush, it would be the perfect flat.

Koutarou didn’t appear bothered by him moving in at all, rather he seemed to be happy about it and Keiji wasn’t sure how to take it. His roommate had already moved in a week prior and was all settled in, so he made it his job to help Keiji with carrying the heavy stuff up the stairs. The house didn’t have an elevator but the flat was luckily on the second floor so it wasn’t too far up.

Still, after carrying boxes and bags and furniture all day, Keiji felt exhausted and in need of a break. He collapsed onto the floor of their living room, staring at their lampless ceiling, wires still sticking out. His parents had left a while ago, Koutarou assuring them that they could take it from there. 

Sweat trickled down Keiji’s forehead and made his black hair stick to his skin. Moving was really, really annoying, especially in the summer heat and Keiji knew he wouldn’t subject himself to that pain again if it could be avoided. If that meant sharing a kitchen with his unrequited crush then so be it.

He heard the sound of feet tiptoeing over, before Koutarou dropped to the floor next to him.

“You okay?” the buff guy asked, his voice echoing a bit too loud in the almost bare living room.

“Yeah, fine. Thanks, Bokuto-san,” Keiji replied with a sigh. “How much is left?” he then asked, glancing over to Koutarou who still looked fresh and unbothered by the heat and physical labor.

“I just brought the last two boxes up the stairs. So all that’s left is the unpacking.” The black haired boy could practically hear the smile on Koutarou’s lips. 

“And well, we have to put together your bed and stuff…” he added, and even though Keiji groaned at the prospect of assembling the furniture, something in him felt a little happy that Koutarou just naturally assumed they would be doing it together. It shouldn’t be very surprising though, he had always been a helpful guy.

After being done with the furniture in Keiji’s room, they proceeded to put together the couch Keiji’s mom had given them for their living room and installed the lamp. In all honesty, it was Keiji installing the lamp. Meanwhile his childhood friend stood at the foot of the ladder, holding onto it like his life depended on it. He kept asking Keiji if he was really sure he knew what he was doing and wouldn’t be electrocuted, slight panic in his voice. The way he looked up at him, his honey eyes all big and worried, was so adorable it made Keiji feel mushy inside. He briefly wondered how he would survive this rooming arrangement if he couldn’t even go the first day without short-circuiting.

  
  


Surprisingly, Keiji not only survived the first day, he also survived the first few weeks. Not without incidents though, because of course Koutarou would walk out the bathroom in nothing but his towel wrapped around his hips and of course he would fall asleep on the couch with a cute pout on his face and of course he would try (and fail) to make pancakes with his mother’s old, frilly apron on.

And despite everything, Keiji was more or less alive.

But then Koutarou decided to bring his new found college bestie Kuroo over, who was frighteningly sharp (or maybe Koutarou was just so oblivious that Keiji had gotten careless).

“Heh, you’re into him aren’t you?” the black haired man asked the second Koutarou left the room to get them some snacks.

Keiji tried desperately to appear calm and collected. “You have a wild imagination, Kuroo-san,” he replied without meeting the other’s gaze. “We’re just ...friends. And also both men.”

Their guest just snorted. “Don’t worry about that, mate, I’m open-minded. And I’m pretty sure Bo is too, if you get what I mean.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Either way, you’re talking nonsense. There’s isn’t anything between us.”

“Oh, then you don’t mind if I make a move right?”

Keiji couldn’t stop his head from snapping around to the black haired guy.

“ _What?_ ”

“Well, Bo is crazy cute, isn’t he?”

“Who’s crazy cute?” Koutarou asked, walking back into the room with a bag of chips that he was already munching on.

“You,” Kuroo replied as though it wasn’t a big deal at all. And maybe to him it wasn’t, Keiji thought with a sense of jealousy. He would never be able to say something like that so easily.

His roommate plopped back down on one of the pillows they’d layed around the coffee table, ignoring the perfectly fine couch right behind them. Koutarou’s thighs grazed his own as he moved and Keiji didn’t want to glance at the place they touched or think about how strong they looked, but he did anyway. There was no denying it - he was becoming thirstier the more time he spent with his buff roommate. 

Said roommate clutched at his heart dramatically. “Awww, bro, you’re also crazy cute!”

The self-satisfied look Kuroo shot at him drove Keiji crazy. If that guy was going to come over more often, he wouldn’t be able to guarantee for his well-being.

  
  


Kuroo left sometime around midnight to catch the last train to his place. Koutarou had offered him to stay the night and Keiji was glad that their guest had declined the invitation. It was subtle, but Keiji noticed the way the bed head had kept touching Koutarou’s arm or hand or thigh or back and he couldn’t wait for him to leave. So they said their goodbyes, and Kuroo hugged Koutarou tightly and just a little too long in Keiji’s opinion, but it’s not like he could say anything about it.

When the door closed behind him, Keiji couldn’t contain the small sigh of relief escaping his lips. His roommate completely misinterpreted it though.

“Are you tired? I’m sorry for keeping you up this long, ‘Kaashi.”

“No, don’t worry, Bokuto-san. I’m not that tired.”

His childhood friend looked at his feet for a moment, appearing uncharacteristically insecure. “Then, do you wanna sit in the living room a little longer? And, i dunno, talk or something?” He met Keiji’s gaze with hopeful eyes and it was impossible to say no.

“Sure, let’s do that.”

Now that they were alone, it suddenly felt a bit awkward. Kuroo and Koutarou seemed to get along so naturally, never running short of something to say, so the current silence felt even louder than usual. 

It hadn’t always been this way. When they were in elementary school, they’d been like that too, always finding a topic to talk about or sharing comfortable silences. 

Then middle and high school happened and now they were tip toeing around each other as though they were barely acquainted.

If Keiji was being honest, he’d have to admit that they probably were. They hadn’t been around to see the person the other had become during the last few years. But maybe they could get to know them now, rebuild their torn bond.

“‘Kaashi?” Koutarou mumbled eventually, sipping on the wine in his coffee mug. They hadn’t thought they would need wine glasses until they suddenly did. Why his roommate had to choose a coffee mug for his wine though was beyond him.

“Mhm?” Keiji replied, leaning back against the couch and closing his eyes. “What is it, Bokuto-san?”

“...You didn’t always call me that.” 

It came out hesitantly and made Keiji’s throat feel all clogged up. He had no idea what to say to that, so he didn’t say anything.

“When did you stop calling me Koutarou?”

He couldn’t quite remember it himself. Maybe it was after getting into high school, maybe even earlier than that. In his head, he’d never stopped calling him by his first name. But out loud he had eventually started feeling conscious about it, not daring to say it in front of Koutarou’s friends, and then not daring to say it at all.

“You’re not calling me Keiji anymore either,” he replied, knowing full well that he was the one who’d stopped first, that his childhood friend had simply adapted to the new rules he’d set.

“ _Can_ I call you Keiji again?”

His eyes snapped back open in surprise and he hated the heat he felt creeping up his neck. Whatever he’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. But Koutarou was gazing up at him from where he sat on the floor, with those big, hopeful eyes. It was unfair, really, because Keiji had no way of refusing him when he looked like that. Those eyes were his kryptonite.

“Sure.”

“So you’re also calling me Koutarou again?”

“...Sure.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: clothes sharing

“Are you coming?” Keiji shouted from the hall with a sigh. They’d wanted to leave 20 minutes ago.

“Just a second, Keiji, I promise, I’m almost there, I’m basically ready to go just need to quickly do my hair…”

“Quickly? I don’t really see that, Bokuto-san,” he replied, making his way over to the ajar bathroom door. “Your hair takes ages, just leave it down.” 

When he pushed open the door, Koutarou was standing in front of the mirror visibly pouting at him.

“You said you wouldn’t call me that anymore,  _ Keiji _ .” The way his childhood friend emphasized every syllable of his name made his heart flutter and he was almost tempted to clutch at his chest as though that would help him keep his calm.

“Uh, yeah, sorry, but-”

“Sorry,  _ who _ ?” Koutarou demanded, sounding a bit like a kindergartener. 

“Sorry, Koutarou?” Keiji said with a roll of his eyes, though he couldn’t hide the way the corners of his mouth turned up. The pout on his friend’s face immediately vanished, replaced by a satisfied grin.

“But like I said, I think we should get going, so maybe just keep your hair down.” He didn’t add that he thought Koutarou looked cute with his unstyled hair, though it wasn’t the first time he’d thought that.

His friend relented, but kept assuring that Kuroo wouldn’t mind them being late. Keiji was sure he wouldn’t. But he was already uncomfortable with tagging along, since he wouldn’t know anyone (other than the host himself but Kuroo wasn’t really one of his favourite people to be around). Keiji didn’t want to be the awkward +1  _ and _ come terribly late. And then there was also that small selfish voice in his head saying that the earlier they arrived, the sooner they could leave.

When they finally left their flat, the evening air was a lot cooler than anticipated and Keiji was shivering slightly in his blue peter pan collar shirt. But he couldn’t go up again to grab a jacket, not after bothering Koutarou to hurry up for over half an hour. So he sucked it up, hoping it wouldn’t get any colder than it already was.

Faint music and chatter sounded from inside the flat, even before Kuroo opened the door to his territory with a lopsided grin. 

“Bo, Akaashi! You made it!”

“Bro!” Koutarou looked at his college friend like he hung the stars in the sky, immediately enveloping him in a bone crushing hug. It stung to watch.

Kuroo hugged him back tightly and Keiji wasn’t sure if he was imagining the teasing glance the host threw at him.

“Come on in! The other’s are already there.”

The flat was small and the air felt stuffy, but at least it was warm so Keiji could shake off the chilliness of the night.

Three guys were scattered in Kuroo’s bedroom that seemed to double as his living room. A short blonde sat on the floor, leaning against the frame of Kuroo’s bed where another was splayed out, his brown hair in a messy bun. The third one was slouched on the love seat, his broad grin and mohawk making him look just the way Keiji had imagined Kuroo’s friends to look like. When the newcomers walked in, the three of them paused their conversation and glanced up.

Kuroo made a quick round of introductions, just for Keiji, since Koutarou seemed to be well acquainted with everyone already. Of course he was, those were his friends, too, that he hung out with on a daily basis. 

His buff friend dropped onto the love seat next to the mohawk guy (Tora, as Keiji knew now) and they immediately struck up an animated conversation.

For a brief second, Keiji felt jealous about not being part of this, of their inside jokes and college stories. He should be used to the feeling, he got to know it plenty during middle and high school. But recently, he’d felt a little closer to his childhood friend again and this group gathering was a painful reminder that Keiji was only a tiny fragment of Koutarou’s life.

“So, you’re the infamous roommate, huh?” the short, strawberry blond guy asked, that Kuroo had introduced as Yaku earlier. Keiji settled down next to him on the floor, while the host threw himself onto the bed, earning a groan from Kenma, the guy already lounging on the mattress.

“I’m not sure what would make me infamous,” Keiji replied, one eyebrow raised slightly. “But yes, I’m the roommate.”

Yaku just made a “Mhm” noise, a smile on his lips.

It made Keiji feel a little unsettled, not sure whether Kuroo had said anything unnecessary to him or not, so he tried to change the topic. “So you all study together?”

“Mostly. Not Kenma though. He and Kuroo go way back.”

That seemed to explain their complete lack of boundaries, Keiji thought with a glance to the black haired guy huddled against Kenma who tried pushing him off while simultaneously playing a game on his phone.

Or maybe Kuroo was just like that with everyone. God, he hoped he was, because then the way he was so handsy with Koutarou didn’t have to mean anything… 

The evening didn’t end up as awkward as Keiji had feared. He actually liked Koutarou’s friends, well 75 percent of them, and he had fun. Additionally, he got to see his childhood friend’s sparkling eyes and happy laughter.

Nevertheless, when Koutarou suggested they make their way home, he didn’t protest. He was tired and exhausted; Kuroo, Tora and Koutarou all in one room were a force to be reckoned with.

To his displeasure, it had gotten a lot colder compared to before and Keiji seriously regretted his choice of clothes. He shivered visibly, and though Koutarou tended to be oblivious he noticed.

He untied the sleeves of the color block hoodie that he’d slung around his hips and handed it to Keiji with a soft smile.

“You’re chilly, right? You should have brought a jacket since you get cold so easily.”

“Thank you,” Keiji replied quietly, his cheeks flushing at the prospect of wearing Koutarou’s clothes. 

The fabric was soft and warm and even though Keiji was barely shorter than his roommate, he seemed to drown in the colorful material. He would never buy a sweater like that for himself, the combination of blues, yellow and orange a bit too flashy for his liking, but if it was Koutarou’s, he wouldn’t mind wearing it every day. An embarrassing part of him wanted to snuggle into the fabric and breathe in the soft scent of detergent and laundry softener (and  _ him _ ). But he managed to keep himself in check.

They walked back to their apartment in silence; Keiji wasn’t sure if it was comfortable or not. Koutarou kept stealing glances at him, but never looked long enough to let their eyes meet. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but he thought he could see a faint blush on his friend’s cheeks, making his own face flush with color, as he retreated further into the oversized hoodie. 

“Did you have fun?” his childhood friend eventually asked into the silence, and Keiji wondered what it was that had Koutarou all quiet and unsure recently. “I mean, I know you didn’t really know anyone and they can be a lot- I can be a lot, too-”

Koutarou seemed unable to stop rambling so Keiji put a hand on his upper arm, a reassuring smile on his face. “I had fun, Kou.”

Keiji’s eyes were automatically drawn to the way Koutarou’s Adam's apple bopped as he swallowed, seemingly at a loss of words. But then he quickly broke into a wide grin. “I’m glad! I hope you like them, they are really cool! Yaku and Kuroo helped me and Tora study for the recent tests, I think I wouldn’t have made it without them! They are really good at explaining!” 

The jealousy, he’d managed to push away so well for most of the evening, was rearing its ugly head again. It was stupid, Akaashi knew that. He was studying literature, there was no way he could help Koutarou with his mandatory physics classes that came with studying sports. Yet, he wished he’d been the one to tutor Koutarou, so that the awestruck glint in his eyes would be meant for him.

“I’m glad you have them, then,” he replied, keeping his bitterness to himself. He was getting greedy. He already got to live with Koutarou, got to see him when he’d only just woken up and when he returned from his work out. He got to eat and watch movies together and dispose of spiders for him. Hell, he even wore his sweater, right this second, and yet, he wanted more.

Keiji gave in to the need to snuggle into the fabric, an attempt to satisfy his growing possessiveness. Koutarou watched him and this time Keiji caught his stare, the blush on Koutarou’s cheeks clearly more than just his wishful thinking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks a lot for reading! I hope you liked it n-n  
> As you may have guessed by now, I'm not doing every single prompt. I've planned stuff for the days 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 9, maybe 10 :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: bed-sharing

The clock on Keiji’s nightstand said it was 2 AM when he heard Koutarou stumble into their flat, seemingly a little drunk and not by himself.

Keiji was aware he could have gone to bed before his roommate returned from his night out, but he just hadn’t been able to calm down until he knew Koutarou was safe and sound. Now he was unsettled for a whole other reason - Koutarou hadn’t come alone. Sure, it could just be one of his friends. But what if it wasn’t? For all he knew, Koutarou could be in their hall right now, making out with a random hook-up or - even worse - a steady partner. 

Unable to ignore his urge to find out whom Koutarou brought home, he slipped out of his room on silent feet. He found his friend still at their entry, looking tipsy and utterly helpless. A completely wasted Yaku was slumped against him, Kuroo crouching before him and getting him out of his shoes.

“Keiji!” Koutarou whisper-shouted, his expression full of relief. 

“Is he okay?” Keiji asked, quickly stepping closer and taking a look at the barely conscious man.

Kuroo made a non-commital noise. “His boyfriend left on a business-trip with fellow model colleagues a few days ago and hasn’t been in touch. Yakkun’s not taking it very well I suppose.”

Keiji nodded understandingly while feeling Yaku’s forehead and pulse - just to be safe.

“Help him change into something more comfortable and have him drink some water. I’ll prepare the couch for him to sleep on.”

They did as they were told and soon Yaku was sleeping peacefully on their couch in one of Koutarou’s sport shirts. Keiji was definitely not jealous that their guest got to sleep in Koutarou’s clothes. Nope, totally not jealous. (The big, colorful hoodie that Keiji still kept in his room and cuddled with from time to time was a good comfort, though.)

“Guess I’ll get going then, now that Yakkun’s taken care of,” Kuroo said with a tired smile. 

Though Keiji felt bad about letting him walk home at this hour, he was also relieved that he wouldn’t have to share the cozy sunday brunch that had become a tradition between Koutarou and him with yet another person. 

It wasn’t like they had a bed for him to sleep in anyway.

“No, bro, it’s late and you’re tired! You can sleep in my room!”

Or maybe they did have a bed for him to sleep in.

Keiji tried to ignore the sharp pain in his chest, jealousy pulsing through his veins. He didn’t wait for Kuroo’s reply, he didn’t want to hear it nor did he want to see them disappear into Koutarou’s room. With a hoarse voice and unable to look at either of them, he excused himself and curled up in his bed, his roommate's sweater clutched tightly to his chest. 

Outside his room he heard the faint voices of the other two as well as the shuffle of steps and then a door closing. He pressed his eyelids shut as though it could keep him from seeing the images in his head; images of them hugging, smiling, kissing.

Of course Keiji couldn’t know for sure what was going to happen in that room. But Kuroo’s voice rang in his ears. 

_ Oh, then you don’t mind if I make a move right? _

_ You don’t mind if I make a move, right? _

_ Right? _

Before he could follow the downward spiral even further, he was pulled out of his thoughts by light knocking on his door. It opened a crack and a head appeared in the opening.

“Keiji?”

The black-haired man sat up in his bed, trying to compose himself.

“Is something wrong Koutarou? Is Yaku okay?”

His roommate looked at him in confusion. “No, he’s fine.”

“Uh, okay, then what brings you here?”

Koutarou stepped into the room, pillow clutched to his chest, and closed the door behind himself.

“Well, Kuroo is sleeping in my bed,” he said, as though it was the most obvious thing ever. “So I’m sleeping with you.”

_ What? _

Keiji just stared at his roommate dumbfounded, as he came over and climbed into bed beside him. 

“Oh, I don’t have a blanket… Yaku has our spare one, do you mind sharing? Or do you have a woolen blanket?” Koutarou just rambled on, completely unaware of Keiji’s inner crisis. 

He was going to sleep in the same bed as his roommate. He was going to  _ share a bed _ with his  _ crush _ .

“I don’t,” Keiji replied, the situation he was in still not quite reaching his tired brain.

“I guess sharing it is then, huh?” His roommate smiled and set his pillow down next to Keiji’s, fluffing it up with his hands, before plucking at the blanket and crawling under it too. His big honey eyes fell onto the hoodie in Keiji’s arm.

“Is that mine? You must really like that sweater! I like it too! The brand has a lot of really cool stuff!”

Instead of registering what his roommate said, Keiji still tried to wrap his mind around Koutarou  _ in his bed, under his blanket _ .

“Why aren’t you sleeping with Kuroo?”

Bokuto looked at him, as though the idea had never crossed his mind. 

“Oh. You’re right, I’m sorry, Keiji… are you angry?” A small pout appeared on the other’s lips and Keiji felt his heart skip at how cute it looked.

“No. I’m not angry.” If anything he was relieved. He surely wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight, but at least he won’t be plagued by thoughts of Koutarou and Kuroo cuddling or kissing or making out.

“I’m glad! Let’s sleep then? I’m really tired!” The buff guy made himself comfortable under the shared blanket and Keiji pretended his heart wasn’t exploding right about now. 

“Everything good? Aren’t you tired?” He looked at Keiji with round, expectant eyes. 

Keiji swallowed thickly before laying back down. His joints felt rigid and he was still holding onto the hoodie awkwardly. He pushed it onto the nightstand, the embarrassment of having been caught while cuddling it slowly settling in his guts.

“Yeah, no, I’m also tired,” he whispered, his eyes focused on the ceiling of the dark room. “Sleep well, Koutarou.”

He didn’t dare to move, his arms laying stiffly at his sides, out of fear he could bump into Koutarou and combust. His roommate didn’t seem to share his worries, because he snuggled closer - close enough so Keiji could feel his steady breath on his shoulder. His own breathing caught.

“You sleep well too, Keiji,” Koutarou whispered back, his voice all drowsy and soft when he added:

“Your bed is really comfy, y’know? Smells like you.”

With his heart in his mouth and his cheeks sporting an impressive blush, Keiji was pretty convinced he wouldn’t be able to sleep ever again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: hurt/comfort | sick days/illness/recovery

Keiji woke up feeling hot and sweaty, his blanket a heavy weight on his body. He tried to kick it off to get some air, just to be greeted with a discontented groan and the blanket wrapped itself tighter around Keiji’s waist.

His eyes snapped open. That was definitely not his blanket. Taking a deep breath, he lowered his gaze and eyed the arm that laid snugly against his body. 

_ Right. Koutarou was in his bed, under his blanket, cuddling him. _

He took another breath and started to carefully pick at the fingers that clutched to his shirt, trying to get them off him. But Koutarou wasn’t having it. He took Keiji’s hand in his own and snuggled against his back.

“No getting up yet,” he mumbled, seemingly still half asleep. Maybe Koutarou wasn’t even awake enough to know who exactly he was hugging, but Keiji couldn’t help it, he complied and relaxed his body back into the embrace. He was still feeling way too hot, his shirt sticking to his skin uncomfortably, but there was no way he could push him off when Koutarou was nuzzling his neck.

His roommate fell back into a deep sleep quickly, breathing calmly and barely moving. Keiji carefully reached for his phone and started reading an online newspaper until the body behind him stirred again, pulling away the arm around Keiji’s waist.

“Finally awake?” he asked, not looking up from the article he was reading.

Koutarou made a sleepy noise. “‘m hungry, Keiji. What time is it?”

“Almost 10.”

“‘s time for brunch then.”

“You think Kuroo and Yaku are awake yet?”

“Ah, right,” Koutarou sounded surprised. “We have visitors.”

“You forgot? How?” With a raised eyebrow, Keiji turned around to him. “Why would you be in my bed if we didn’t have visitors?”

Koutarou dodged the question by getting out of bed and stretching his arms and Keiji couldn’t help but watch the way his muscles moved beneath his skin. 

“I’ll make coffee,” he said walking out of Keiji’s room. 

Keiji left his room soon after, hearing light chatter from the kitchen. Kuroo was helping Koutarou with preparing breakfast while Yaku was sitting at their kitchen table like a picture of misery, his head in his hands.

“Morning,” Kuroo greeted him with a smirk. “Slept well?”

“Mhm.” Keiji sat down at the table with Yaku since their small kitchen space couldn’t use another person moving around.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, an encouraging smile on his lips. 

Yaku shrugged, his eyes looking a bit glazed. “Massive hangover.”

The black-haired man chuckled. “I figured.”

“Thanks for letting me stay, though.”

Before he could reply, Koutarou walked over with a blinding smile and two cups of coffee.

“No worries, Yaku! That’s what friends are for!” He sat the cups of coffee in front of them and turned to Keiji with an expression on his face that looked almost sweet.

“Already put cream in yours, Keiji!”

Yaku groaned. “Do you have to be so lovey-dovey in front of me?”

Keiji choked. “We’re not.”

“Well,” Kuroo said with a wink, putting a plate with pancakes on the table. “I’ve heard something else.”

“ _Bro!_ I told you that _in_ _secret!_ ” Koutarou exclaimed with red cheeks, but there was no bite to it.

The bed-head raised an eyebrow. “What’s the harm?”

Slightly confused, Keiji just watched the scene unfold, curious about what Kuroo was implying but not daring to ask questions. To his disappointment, the subject was quickly dropped and the rest of the brunch was mostly peaceful.

Kuroo and Yaku left at 2pm, the latter having cheered up considerably after receiving a message from his boyfriend apologizing for the radio silence.

  
  


Since it was sunday and he was caught up with all his college assignments, Keiji easily agreed when his roommate suggested to watch a movie together. They spent the rest of the day comfortably on their couch, watching documentaries and ordering pizza in the evening. Both of them were tired from the night so there wasn’t much to talk about, but Keiji found himself not minding the quiet.

When Keiji went to bed that night, he noticed Koutarou’s pillow was still laying next to his own and a faint blush crept onto his cheeks. Just when he was about to grab the pillow to give it back, it knocked faintly against his door. When it didn’t open by itself, Keiji mumbled a sleepy “Come in.”

Koutarou slipped into the room without saying anything, his shoulders stiff and his hands fidgeting at his sides. He didn’t move towards the bed, not even after Keiji had slightly lifted the pillow for him to see, and the black haired man started to feel a little worried. 

“Koutarou?”

He didn’t reply. 

“Kou? Hey, what’s wrong?”

The buff guy shrugged without raising his head and he looked much smaller than usual. Keiji pushed himself out of bed and closed the space between them. Golden eyes followed him, big and teary. 

Keiji knew that expression from way back, remembered how utterly heartbreaking it was to catch the best person he knew on a bad day. He just hadn’t been aware, that it was still a thing, that Koutarou was still struggling with fears and inner demons the way he used to. Maybe he should have seen it coming in the way he’d been so quiet all afternoon, but Keiji had just assumed it was the fatigue of staying up all night. 

His roommate was still just standing there stiffly so Keiji pulled him back to his bed and wrapped him into his blanket.

With soft fingers, Keiji reached up to brush back some of the hair that had fallen into Koutarou’s eyes.

“It’s okay, Kou, I’m here, I’ve got you,” Keiji whispered like a mantra to comfort him, his hands still entangled in the black and silver hair. “I’ve got you.”

It seemed to do the trick; Koutarou finally relaxed into his touch, floodgates open and tears wetting his cheeks. Keiji moved his hands to his childhood friends back, holding him close until his sobs subsided and were replaced by soft sniffles.

“Better?” His fingers drew patterns onto the broad back.

“Mhm.”

“You need something?”

He shook his head, subsequently nuzzling closer to Keiji’s neck.

“‘M sorry,” he whispered, his voice sore from crying.

“No, no, Kou, don’t be sorry, there’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“Sometimes I just-” He was interrupted by another heartbreaking sob and Keiji squeezed him gently.

“I know, I know,” he replied softly. “It’s okay.”

“Can I-” Koutarou pushed himself up a little, a weak sniffle escaping him. “Can I stay here tonight?”

“Of course.”

They laid down together, much like the night before, squeezed under Keiji’s blanket. It reminded him of the way Koutarou used to sneak into his futon as kids, their parents finding them all snuggled up the next morning. Living so closely together and with their moms being so friendly, they’d slept at each other’s homes all the time, talking and fooling around until late. 

A sweet smile stole itself onto Keiji’s lips. Without much thinking he pressed a soft kiss onto Koutarou’s hair, the way he’d always done it when his friend had a particularly bad day. Koutarou seemed to have already fallen asleep though, softly snoring in Keiji’s arms.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9: practice kissing/truth or dare

“You’re drunk,” Keiji said with distaste, eyeing the black-haired bedhead that was once again sitting in their living room.

“No, a good friend is what I am.”

“How so?”

“Well, wouldn’t you like to know, Akaashi?” Kuroo purred, his usual grin plastered onto his face. “I guess you’ll just have to play if you’re so curious.”

Keiji tried to keep himself from frowning. “No thanks, I don’t _really_ need to know.”

Kuroo chuckled before inching a little closer to make space on the floor for Koutarou who just walked into the room, balancing a tray with drinks in mismatched cups and glasses. Yamamoto was following behind him with several bags of chips. Ignoring the couch in favor of sitting on the ground seemed to become a habit.

“What’s uppp?” Koutarou’s voice was cheerful and his cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

“Pain-in-the-ass Kuroo-san wants to play truth or dare,” Keiji explained, slightly annoyed.

“Oh,” his roommates eyes went wide and Keiji wanted to smack himself. He should have known that Koutarou would be up for it. “I like that! Let’s do that! Good idea, bro.”  
  


That damn victorious grin that Keiji had come to loathe was back on Kuroo’s features while Yamamoto nodded excitedly, saying it was almost like training camp back when he was in high school. 

Keiji suddenly missed Yaku and Kenma - though he didn’t know them too well, he was sure those two would have been on his side. But Kenma had some kind of live stream for whatever that meant, and Yaku was skyping with his boyfriend tonight. So Keiji was all alone with three hyper guys and he couldn’t even go home because he _was_ home.

He sighed. “Fine.”

It wasn’t too bad at first, some stupid dares like sending an “accidental” e-mail to your prof or eating a handful of the disgusting cappuccino cinnamon chips that Koutarou bought because he thought they were cool.

But then Keiji chose truth and of course it was Kuroo asking a question.

“Do you have a crush on someone?”

_Shit._

When he shot a look at his glass to drink instead, Yamamoto shook his head.

“You can’t drink twice in a row, Akaashi! You drank last round!”

“So?” Kuroo asked teasingly. “Who’s your crush?”

Keiji considered him for a second, keeping on a facade of indifference. 

“That’s not what you asked, Kuroo.” He couldn’t keep the smirk from stealing itself onto his lips. “You asked if I have a crush on someone. I do.”

“Really, Akaashi?” The bedhead rolled his eyes but Keiji just shrugged.

“Not fair!” Yamamoto joined in, and then turned to Kuroo: “You should have asked a better question!”

Koutarou was unusually quiet, normally quick to join banter like that. When Keiji looked over to him, his roommate just stared at him with a blank expression.

“You do?” He asked so softly that Keiji barely heard him. His chest felt odd, unsure how to react to that, to his crush asking if he was into someone. So he dodged the question, pretending he hadn’t heard it and made Kuroo continue with the game.

To his dismay, the night wasn’t meant to continue without further incidents. Yamamoto was already properly buzzed when he looked at Koutarou, a hand raised as though he was about to pose a serious question.

“Okay, Bo, truth: If you had to kiss one person in this room who would it be?”

Keiji swallowed. Koutarou smiled, wide and tipsy. “Keiji, obviously. He’s the prettiest.” He took a sip of his beer before his happy expression was replaced by a frown. 

“I didn’t say I want truth!”

“Fine then, truth or dare?” Kuroo chimed in.

“Dare!”

“Okay. I dare you to kiss Akaashi.”

Keiji looked at him flabbergasted before shaking his head. “No.”

“Awww, Bo, I’m so sorry, I guess he doesn’t want to,” their catlike guest teased.

Koutarou met his eyes. “You don’t?”

The room suddenly felt impossibly hot and he had trouble breathing. He needed to get out, to get some air. 

“I- It’s late, we should drop this here. Y’all are completely drunk.” Keiji stood up, his movements feeling stiff and unnatural.

“Come on Akaashi, what’s the harm? Didn’t you guys kiss all the time in middle school?”

Keiji stared at him with wide eyes, unable to say anything.

_What?_

Yamamoto looked excited. “Seriously? Woah!”

“Bro!” Koutarou yelled. 

_What?_

Finally finding his voice again, he turned to his childhood friend, exasperated.

“You told him?!” He glared at Koutarou who visibly flinched at his loud voice. “Why would you tell him?!”

“B-because- I didn’t think-”

“You obviously didn’t,” Keiji shot back, immediately regretting his words but not willing to take them back. 

“I think-” He sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose. “I think you guys should go home.”

Not waiting for them to react, Keiji went out onto their balcony and closed the door behind him. He leaned against the railing and took a deep breath, the cool night air helping him calm a bit.

Maybe he overreacted. But what happened back in middle school was nobody’s business, especially not Kuroo’s. And maybe it was easy for Koutarou to talk about it, because he didn’t care. But Keiji did care.

  
  
  


> _“Have you kissed someone before?”_
> 
> _The black-haired boy looked up from his book with mild interest. Koutarou had cast aside the manga he’d been reading, a frown on his face._
> 
> _“I haven’t, Kou.” He went back to his book, scanning the page to find where he’d left off._
> 
> _“Do you want to?”_
> 
> _“I don’t really care.”_
> 
> _“I want to.”_
> 
> _With a sigh, Keiji set the book aside, pushing a bookmark between the pages and fully turned to Koutarou who was laying on his bed._
> 
> _“Why?”_
> 
> _“Everyone at school already did it,” his friend said, and Keiji couldn’t help but think how typical him it was, not enduring to feel left out._
> 
> _“Does it matter?”_
> 
> _“It matters!”_
> 
> _“So, what do you wanna do now? Find yourself a girlfriend?” The boy tried to keep his expression neutral, but Koutarou wasn’t meeting his eyes anyway._
> 
> _“I don’t want a girlfriend. I wanna spend my free time with you!”_
> 
> _“Then what?”_
> 
> _“We could… practice.”_
> 
> _Keiji frowned. “No.”_
> 
> _“It wouldn’t mean anything! Just for practice!” Koutarou said, as though that would make Keiji change his mind, when in reality it was the reason he objected. He didn’t want it to be practice, he didn’t want it to not mean anything._
> 
> _“No!”_
> 
> _“Pretty please?” His friend’s eyes were big and round and pleading._
> 
> _“Fine,” Keiji yielded and climbed onto the bed with a deep sigh. “But just this once, Kou.”_
> 
> _Koutarou nodded eagerly and scooted a bit closer._
> 
> _The black haired boy pressed his eyes shut and tried to keep his hands from shaking. He needed to calm down. He couldn’t risk giving away his secret, because if he did he would lose everything they had._
> 
> _His best friend leaned in and Keiji could feel his breath on his skin. His heart threatened to jump out of his throat and he swallowed, as though that could calm the erratic beating in his chest._
> 
> _“Okay,” Koutarou whispered nervously. “I’m doing it.”_
> 
> _And he did._
> 
> _Koutarou’s lips felt soft and warm, and they were gone in a heartbeat._
> 
> _Keiji opened his eyes, his friend already looking at him, pupils blown wide in awe._
> 
> _“Can I do it again?” he whispered, still close enough so Keiji could feel the words on his lips._
> 
> _“Fine.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this far! The last chapter will come tomorrow as well as a short epilogue! :)  
> Kudos and comments are always appreciated! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 10: free day

Koutarou knocked against the balcony door before slipping into the cold night air, not daring to step too close to his roommate.

“Keiji?” 

The black-haired man didn’t turn around, keeping his eyes on the skyline. “Sorry for flipping out on you.”

“No, it’s my fault, Keiji. _I’m_ sorry.”

“Why did you tell him?”

“I’m sorry, Keiji.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t think you would mind…” Koutarou looked close to tearing up. “I just… it just came up and before I knew it I had told him. But Kuroo and Tora are cool, they wouldn’t tell anyone else!”

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to-” He was interrupted by a hiccup. When Keiji turned around to face him, he saw that Koutarou was crying, his hands clumsily rubbing at his eyes like a kid.

“Koutarou,” he whispered, softly. “Kou, don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, it’s okay. Stop apologizing. Let’s talk about it.”

His childhood friend nodded and plopped down on the wicker bench they kept on their balcony, still looking miserable. Keiji fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it over.

“You’re always on edge these days, Kou,” he said softly, sitting next to him. “Are you okay? Are you taking your meds?”

Koutarou shrugged, using the handkerchief to wipe the tears off his cheeks. 

“I’ve been doing really well recently, y’know? In college I mean, and living here with you. Maybe I’ve been letting it slide a bit.” He sniffed. “But we’re not talking about that!”

“I think we should, Kou, I’m worried.”

“Yes, okay but not _now_ , this is not about _that_.”

“Then what is it about?” Keiji asked with concern in his eyes.

“I don’t know. What is it about for _you_? _You_ were the one who yelled and stormed out.” His voice didn’t sound sulky or angry but genuinely curious. Keiji didn’t have it in him to reply.

His roommate seemed to consider for a second before he digged deeper. “Would you hate kissing me that much?” He paused.

“Did you hate it back then too? Did I make you do stuff you didn’t want to do?” 

“No. I didn't hate it.” 

“Then why? It was just truth or dare. It’s not like it would’ve meant anything…” 

Keiji bit at the inside of his cheeks. “That’s what you said back then, too. But it never was like that for me, Kou.”

His childhood friend’s head snapped up, his eyes big in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Can’t you guess?”

“But you- You never said anything. You pulled away from me. I thought you were rejecting me.”

“Did it feel like that? Like I was pulling away?” In order to not look at him, Keiji focused on his fingertips instead. His nails could probably use a trim, he’d always preferred to keep them short. “I just didn’t want to hold you back.”

“Hold me back?”

“You made so many new friends… It felt like you were part of a completely different world that I didn’t belong to and I didn’t want to be the deadweight tying you down.”

“There’s no way you could ever not belong to my world, Keiji. You probably think it’s stupid or childish and I guess you won’t even remember but when we were kids and I said that you were my world… I meant that. And I still do, Keiji, you never stopped being my world.”

Keiji reached for Koutarou’s hand, gently intertwining their fingers.

“It’s not childish. I remember.”

“So don’t pull away anymore.” His roommate squeezed his hand, a cute pout on his lips.

“I won’t.”

After a few more minutes of pensive silence, they went back inside, the cold night air causing Keiji to shiver. They cleaned up the remaining mess inside, gathering cups and empty cans and crumps, before both disappearing into their own rooms.

When Keiji closed his door behind him, he leaned against it and slowly sank to the floor. He took a deep breath to calm himself and when that didn’t work another one.

He couldn’t quite grasp what’d just happened. Had he confessed? Or not? Had Koutarou accepted? A sigh escaped his lips, his head buried in his hands.

It was good that Koutarou and he had talked with each other properly. Keiji would have hated if they’d gone to bed without reconciling; he would have lost sleep over it and he knew Koutarou well enough to understand that he would have been the same - if not worse.

So this was good, talking about it was _good_ , and yet Keiji felt unsettled and unsure.

Needless to say, he still lost sleep over it.

  
  


The next morning, his roommate wasn’t home when Keiji left his room, and since it was a saturday he was probably out on his morning run. Coffee had already been cooked, so he grabbed a cup and sat down at their kitchen table. A blister of pills were laying on the counter and he wondered when he’d last seen them laying in the kitchen, and if that meant that Koutarou hadn’t taken any since then. 

It made Keiji want to help him get back on track, but he also didn’t want to interfere too much. It was Koutarou’s life after all and it’s not like he had any business controlling his intake of meds. 

He took out his phone and googled around for a bit, before he heard the front door being unlocked. His roommate walked in with a big smile, all sweaty in his sportswear, holding up a bag of buns proudly.

“I brought breakfast! You didn’t eat yet, right?”

While eating, Keiji wasn’t sure if the underlying tension was just his imagination, but when they moved to sit on their couch it got pretty obvious. Koutarou seemed to fidget around and it made Keiji feel all twitchy too, yet neither of them said anything to address the elephant in the room. 

“So, you said you didn’t hate it right?” Koutarou suddenly blurted, making the black-haired man startle.

“Hate what?”

“Kissing me,” he clarified with red cheeks but piercing eyes.

“Uh- what?” Keiji swallowed thickly. 

“You said you didn’t hate it.”

“I guess I said that.” His voice sounded flimsy, nervous, but the reassurance in Koutarou’s expression managed to ease his nerves at least a little.

“So... can I do it again?” His childhood friend asked, almost bashfully, his eyes darting towards the other’s lips.

“Fine,” Keiji replied, a smile playing at his lips.


	8. Epilogue

The little package had arrived two days ago, and though Keiji had thought it was a good idea when he’d placed the order, he was feeling a little unsure about it now. Maybe it was too much after all, maybe this would feel like him trying to patronize his boyfriend. 

He paced a bit in his room before deciding on the cowardly way of making someone a gift: Laying it on the kitchen table with a little note attached to avoid personal interaction.

 _Maybe this helps you organize_ , he wrote, hoping it didn’t sound too much like something a teacher would say (it probably did). 

Koutarou wasn’t home yet, his classes ending later than Keiji’s on Wednesdays, meaning there was still some time. Briefly, Keiji wondered if he should just leave, so he wouldn’t have to be around when his boyfriend would open the package, but that seemed a little exaggerated. It wasn’t even that big of a deal, so Keiji wasn’t sure why he was so terribly nervous about it.

He waited in his room working on some assignments, the present already laying on their table for Koutarou to find. 

When the front door opened and his boyfriend walked in, Keiji forced himself to stay put. 

“I’m home!” Koutarou yelled cheerfully, the sound of his steps indicating he went straight to the kitchen.

“I bought co- _Is that for me?!_ ” He sounded excited, and Keiji hoped he would stay excited after unwrapping it, and not be offended.

Keiji heard the pitter-patter of his boyfriend coming over to his room, before the door flung open.

“Is that present for me?” Koutarou asked with wide eyes.

“Obviously,” Keiji replied; he had written Koutarou’s name onto the folded letter he’d attached to the gift.

“Good!” His boyfriend stated, with a big smile. “Because I’ve already unwrapped it!”

He pulled out the little pill box he’d been hiding behind his back. It had compartments for each day of the week, little owls decorating the rainbow colored lids.

“Uh, so, is it… okay?”

“Okay? Keiji it’s amazing!” His boyfriend stepped closer and pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

“And look,” he added, holding the box underneath Keiji’s nose. “The Sunday owl looks like you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking around! I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading!  
> I realize that it doesn't go out with a bang and it doesn't have a big confession or declaration of love but I felt like this fit the general pace of the story better...  
> Anyway! Thanks for reading and for every kudos and comment!


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